Make it Work!

Thank the heavens Tim Gunn is back in our lives for another season of Project Runway. His own show ("Tim Gunn's Guide to Style") is also back for a new season (premiering November 15 at 10/9c on Bravo, check your local listings) but I prefer to see him on PR lifting up, and mostly breaking down, each of the aspiring designers. Speaking of "aspiring designers", is anyone else perplexed about the absence of true "amateur" designers on the show? I thought this was a competition where struggling and/or new and promising designers compete for a chance at fame and fortune -- and mostly a way into the incredibly competitive fashion world.

After meeting the contestants on the show last night, I couldn't help but wonder: why are all these accomplished ass mofo's on this show? They are already known and accomplished designers (or well on their way to being so) and are not in need of some lil tv show to help their careers. I know I know: any publicity is good publicity, but what about the struggling, passionate, broke designers who live for their craft (and make fly ass gear out their grandmama's basement) who have no other way to get exposure? Isn't that why we watch these shows? For the untapped talent? That's why I do.

I think it would be unfair (not to mention boring) if all the aspiring models on ANTM were already strutting the catwalks in Paris and Milan and were just on the show to get even more exposure, oh and of course to rub shoulders with the HBIC, Tyra. What about the journey? What about the struggle?! Y'all got me all phe-clempt. Back to PR, here are a few of the "aspiring" designers that didn't bore me:

Carmen's a former model, and most importantly, the only black contestant. Um...what up with that? Anywho, I like her so far, but her attitude is a tad much, and she's much too conceited. We'll see how far her model past gets her in the coming design challenges.

Rami has noooo GD reason to be on this show! Take a look at just a snippet of this b's resume: "Known for his dramatic red carpet gowns, Rami has dressed celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Fergie, Tyra Banks, Amy Smart, Erykah Badu, Lucy Lui, Tracee Ellis Ross, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Penelope Cruz and Shiva Rose. His designs have been seen on the pages of In Style, Flaunt, Vogue, Lucky, Elle, Angelino, Interview, People and Us Weekly. Rami was also commissioned to design the costumes for the March 2005 America's Next Top Model add campaign that resided on billboards across the nation."

I'm livid! No reason for him to take up space for some hidden talented designer! He must be bangin' Nina. Or Michael. Meanwhile, I can't wait to see his designs! (Dammit Yaz, you were on to something! ;)

Chris seems cool. (I'm vexed with the show's producers for making the contestants sprint in the beginning of their first challenge -- guess who was last at the finish line? You guessed it. Fatty.) Essentially he's this season's Jay (the plump queen who was the show's first winner) except he is already an accomplished costume designer, not living at home in the sticks of PA like Jay was at the time of his appearance on the show.

Jack is in a word, fierce. The uber-gay-overachiever to end all uber-gay-overachievers. Not only is he a designer, but a world-class competitive swimmer and fitness/fashion model! Jeez louise! He went to Parsons, owned his own menswear store in NYC, designed for Tommy Hilfiger, and now is the design director at some big clothing brand. Again, what the eff are you doing on PR?! Interesting tidbit: he is very open about his HIV status, so perhaps he can use the show to educate the masses...or get more design director gigs.

Kevin, who referred to himself as one of the few "straight" male designers (I'll be the judge of that, thank you) is not Joey Fatone's thinner younger brother. Instead, he's a graduate of FIT, and oh yeah, a pair of Jeans he designs was featured on the cover of Victoria's Secret Fall 2006 catalogue! I'm done!

Next season's contestants better all be high school dropouts who sketch their designs on scraps of paper while bagging groceries at their town's piggly wiggly, while dreaming of some day making it as a top designer.

Okay kids, mama's got to get home. Be good to yourselves and each other...and most importantly, Make it work!

-KelleBelle